Good Morning!
We’re almost to the halfway mark in our study. Keep at it, dear one, God will bless your effort!
On Day 1 of the study, we focused our attention on positive and negative hindrances in our lives. We investigated 2 possible sources based on 1 Thessalonians 2:14-18: Others and Satan. Possible ways that others hinder us (or we do the hindering) are legalism and license. Legalism is holding others to standards that we can’t keep ourselves. License is the harm inflicted upon another in Christ by our undiscerning practice of our own liberty. Beth Moore suggested license would be ordering a glass of wine in a restaurant for dinner when dining with a recovering alcoholic.
We continued our study of hindrances on Day 2. We added a third source: Ourselves. We concentrated on Acts 28:30,31.
“Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness and without hindrance.”
Paul served without anything hindering him. He didn’t allow trials in his own life to stop him from sharing the message of Jesus Christ. We spent most of our lesson considering possibilities of living life without hindrances and asking God to remove hindrances from our hurts. For example: heartbreak – hindrance = depth, disappointment – hindrance = faith, or my pain – hindrance = my passion.
On Day 3, we traced the journey of our trio and pondered the reasons they chose Timothy to return to Thessaloniki to check on the fledgling church that they had started. Timothy was sent to encourage and strengthen that church in the faith. We followed them from Thessaloniki to Berea, then Paul went on to Athens and Corinth. He waited in Corinth until Silas and Timothy joined him there after leaving Macedonia.
via We focused on the word, afflictions, in Day 4 located in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4. We did a Greek word study of afflictions and considered being prepared for them and to expect them in our lives.
On Day 5, we were introduced according to Beth Moore to “the earliest documented evidence of the profound change in prayer language … as the early Christian community moved away from traditional Jewish prayers … to the address and invocation of both God and Jesus Christ.” {p. 81} This idea is based on 1 Thessalonians 3:11.
“Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.”
We were led to ponder this idea in association with Paul having dictated this letter possibly to Silas. We ended the lesson looking at the patience of God and His perfect timing to reveal His Son.
Questions to Consider
- What obstacles have I permitted to hinder me in my life from serving God wholeheartedly?
- Have I ever caused another believer to stumble in their faith because of the hindrances I have placed in their life?
- If I had been part of the journey with Paul, Silas, and Timothy, would I have believed Timothy was the wisest choice?
- Would I rather have an affliction or trouble? Why?
- How can I prevent being moved in my faith by trials that come my way?
You’re doing great! Hang in there! Start on Week 4 this week.
Blessings,
Mimi
